Johnny Benson faces sponsor dilemma in Trucks

Hollyn Johnson | The Grand Rapids PressJohnny Benson flips an egg while eating with fans at Shang Hai Ichiban Japanese Steakhouse during a media stop with Michigan International Speedway president Roger Curtis on Wednesday.

GRAND RAPIDS -- Grand Rapids native Johnny Benson Jr. and his Red Horse Racing team are either going to have to continue its sponsorship search or accept less television time.

That's what the defending NASCAR Camping World Trucks champion said when he visited Grand Rapids on Monday with Michigan International Speedway president Roger Curtis.

Benson and the MIS staff were in town to promote the June 13 Michigan 200 Truck race, and Benson is hoping to have a sponsor by the time that date arrives.

It appears Benson has a company lined up, but the television networks that carry the races, including Speed, which airs the majority of the events, have Red Horse Racing putting the brakes on that plan for now.

"We have somebody in the works to do it, but TV said they would avoid us if we had this sponsor, and it's a gun manufacturer," Benson said. "We are not sure why that would be the case, but that's the information they are giving us. We have to choose whether we want to head down that road or not. We would hate to have good finishes and run in the top three and have TV avoid us for that reason.

"Originally, I said NASCAR had revoked that, and it wasn't. NASCAR called me Tuesday after I had said that they had shot it down," Benson added. "Apparently it is the TV. It is a very interesting scenario. We have had other (gun) manufacturers in there, and why it is an issue today, I don't know. I haven't had a conversation with them yet to get to the bottom of it.

"I think we are going to have to explore it. Money is money. That's going to have to be one of the things we have to do. But it's awful hard to sell a sponsorship if they know they are not going to show us. That's a tough place to be in for both sides."

Benson left Bill Davis Racing after clinching last year's championship, and he is seventh in points through four races. He has shown steady improvement with his new team. Benson finished 26th in the season-opening race at Daytona, followed by 12th at California and a ninth at Atlanta. Benson then finished fourth in Monday's race at Martinsville.

The series is off until the April 25 race in Kansas.

"Our year is going fine," Benson said. "We have been happy with our performances, maybe not so much with our finishes, but we are with a new team. Our performance has been good. Not great, but good. We are just going to have to be able to rack up some good finishes.

"Four weeks ago, we were 26th or 28th in points. Now we are seventh. That part of it looks good, but our performance has been better than that."

Benson said is scheduled to race twice this season at Berlin Raceway in Marne. He will head to Berlin after the June 13 MIS Truck race and compete in the evening's International Supermodified Association event.

Benson also will return to Berlin for The Chet, an Aug. 29th Late Model 100-lapper.